Howard Schultz to be featured at CNN town hall in Texas next week

CNN will host a town hall with former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz next week in Texas as the businessman mulls a potential White House bid.

Schultz, who last month began publicly considering running for president as a “centrist independent,” will take questions from voters “representing civic and educational organizations” at the Feb. 12 event in Houston, CNN announced Wednesday.

The live event will be moderated by “CNN Newsroom” anchor Poppy Harlow.

Schultz has been the focus of Democratic ire since he announced late last month that he was considering an independent presidential bid.

Democrats fear that the billionaire businessman running as an independent could split opposition to President Trump and help pave the way for Trump to be reelected in 2020.

Schultz, 65, resigned as Starbucks CEO in June 2018.

Tuesday’s town hall will mark CNN’s second such event this year featuring a declared or potential presidential candidate.

Last week, the network featured Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who has announced a White House campaign, at Drake University in Iowa.

CNN has held a variety of town hall events with politicians in recent years. In October, shortly before the midterm elections, it held one in Texas with then-Senate candidate Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D).

O’Rourke, who is mulling joining the 2020 Democratic presidential field, has said he will make a decision this month on whether to launch a White House bid.